Through the Six Mile Hills

Through the Six Mile Hills

Doug Smith  May 22, 2021 at 8:30 am

On a sunny day at the end of April I brought my kayak and my hiking boots into the Six Mile Hills. I paddled around Pat Lake twice (4 km) first, then secured the boat.    I headed up through the hills on an eclectic route.    The open south-facing slopes have a number of ponderosa pine snags still standing, but many fallen too, providing obstacles on the way up.

Some of the meadows and low spots in the hills have seasonal marshes and ponds.

The goal was to hike up to the top of Six Mile Hill to enjoy the views

From the northeast end of the hill, there were fine views up Kamloops Lake and across to the Dewdrop Range.

To the northwest, Painted Bluffs Provincial Park lay 5 km away, across Kamloops Lake.

While hiking I encountered grouse, marmots, and a number of birds.

redtailed hawk

sandhill cranes

meadowlark

balsamroot

 

From the east side of Six Mile Hill I spotted a pond in a bowl below, so I hiked down to the shoreline.

I contoured around the hills to complete a loop.    On top of a lower hill, Pat Lake was ahead, a scenic spot in the dry Six Mile Hills.

I have hiked through the Six Mile Hills every year for decades, usually taking a different route each time.   It is a favorite choice and one I will choose to do again soon.

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Doug Smith

Doug writes for Kamloops Trails, a not-for-profit (and ad free) website, offering information on trails, waterways, routes, featured spots, viewpoints, and explorations in the outdoors in the Kamloops area (and beyond).

Doug started exploring this area in 1976 and continues to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, he chose to share this information.

The Kamloops Trails website has a massive number of interesting posts and would be of interest to anyone in Kamloops who enjoys the outdoors. Visit the Kamloops Trails website at: http://www.kamloopstrails.ca/

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